Shortly after the world celebrates International Education Day on January 24, Vietnam and many Asian countries will enter the Lunar New Year holiday. 

This is a time for millions of families to gather in celebration. People working far from home return to spend time with grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren, cooking and enjoying traditional dishes together. A safe holiday, where the whole family avoids stomach aches and foodborne disease, would be a great success. 

The Safe Food for Growth (SAFEGRO) project is proud to have trained teachers and children’s supervisors, helping over ten thousand families in Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, enjoy safer meals during the Lunar New Year. Almost 12,000 students from more than 31 kindergartens in the district are now aware of food safety by Learning Through Play. Topics covered include the nature of bacteria, risk of exposure, proper handwashing, washing fruit, hygienic food handling and preparation, arranging food in the refrigerator, cold storage, and separating between raw and cooked food. 

FRUIT WASHING RHYME

It hums like a cicada, Listen to the rhyme: To stay strong and healthy, Eat fruit all the time.

But don’t you forget, Wash your hands with care, Then clean the fruit, Rub it everywhere.

Guava, orange, Grapes so sweet, Under the water, Make them neat.

Dusty skin, Brush it away, Shake your hands, Now you’re safe today!

In food safety lessons, a teacher and a group of 5-year-old children watch a real-life scenario through a video and discuss how to keep food safe and avoid stomach aches. The teacher then demonstrates how to wash fruit, and the children take turns practicing the skill. Finally, the teacher and students cheerfully recite a rhyme about Washing Fruit and enjoyed the delicious fruits they have just cleaned themselves.

This rhyme exemplifies how the topic of food safety has been transformed into relatable stories, games, and engaging activities for both children and teachers. Through these activities, children are guided to adopt positive behaviors in their daily routines, ensuring better hygiene and food safety. Parental feedback indicates that most of the students are sharing the lessons learned with other family members and demonstrating the practices at home.  

SAFEGRO and Activities Integrating Food Safety Into Preschool Education 

Training on Food Safety Education. 79 core teachers from 31 preschools were equipped with essential food safety knowledge and Learning-Through-Play skills, linking five key food safety principles to practical behavior change practices for guiding young learners toward safer habits.

With support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the SAFEGRO project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the food safety education program was initially piloted in five schools. Following its success, the Thanh Oai District Department of Education decided to expand the program to the remaining 26 preschools in the district. 

Mr. Doan Viet Dzung, a District Party Committee member and Head of the Education and Training Department of Thanh Oai District, affirmed:

“We deeply appreciate the support of the SAFEGRO project in advancing food safety education across preschools in our district.” 

SAFEGRO organized training sessions on food safety using the Learning Through Play method for core teachers, provided consultation to schools on specialized lessons, organized demonstration classes, supplied standard educational materials, and upgraded kitchen equipment in schools to meet food safety standards. 

SAFEGRO considers food safety education a crucial step in raising awareness among individuals and authorities about sustainable health practices. 

On International Education Day 2025, by integrating food safety education into all age groups—preschool, primary, secondary, university, and adult consumers—SAFEGRO, with the support of Global Affairs Canada, reaffirms its mission to ensure that Vietnamese people have the right to access safe food for a better life and a brighter future. 

Food Safety Guide Using Learning Through Play These guides are based on the Partnership for Food Safety Education (FightBAC), a public-private partnership established to reduce foodborne illnesses by promoting public education on safe food handling practices in the United States. These materials are currently being utilized in the project’s activities.

Learning Through Play: Learning and Playing – Two Butterflies Inseparable Learning through play is a method, an approach, a form of implementation, and a teaching technique. When applied, this method actively engages children, fostering the development of spoken language, communication skills, cognitive abilities, reasoning, emotional growth, and physical development.